Kays Translations

Chapter 201: Bubbling in the Bath

No matter where on his body Kasim scrubbed, large amounts of dirt peeled off. The water in which Kasim soaked up to his waist was already black with filth.

Thinking that the water needed changing, Lutz sighed deeply. The amount he collected in water bottles wasn't enough, so he'd have to go to the well later.

It was getting increasingly troublesome, but there was no way to stop halfway. Despite being tempted to throw Kasim out of the house while fully nude, he couldn't be so heartless.

If it were his beloved wife Claudia, he might have enjoyed it, saying, "Oops, slipped," while fondling her. However, washing a guy's back was just empty and unsatisfying.

"There's soap in the kitchen!"

"Nice!"

Taking the soap from Ricardo, Lutz rubbed it on a towel and thoroughly washed Kasim again. The foul smell seemed to have improved slightly.

He fetched water from the well, heated it, and changed the water in the tub. Previously, he had tossed a towel to Kasim, telling him to wash himself, then Lutz began the laundry.

"No need to go that far..."

Lutz glared and silenced Kasim, who was speaking hesitantly.

"You can smell it yourself, but the people around you smell it even more."

Lutz spread out Kasim's discarded clothes and started washing them in another basin with force. A flea jumped in front of him, triggering some kind of switch within Lutz. "I'll thoroughly deal with this," he thought.

Muttering with exasperation, Lutz forcefully washed the clothes in another basin. Kasim, watching Lutz's actions, gave a wry smile and said something.

"Adventurers tend to smell, but it's just how it is to some extent," 

"I have to accept this as normal!?" 

Lutz exclaimed. Looking at Ricardo for confirmation, he shrugged and replied.

"Winter adventurers are like this. You can't wash your body in the river, and going to a bathhouse costs money. They think, 'It's okay since I'll get dirty again soon after cleaning up.'"

"This is unbelievable."

Ricardo, despite having a fairly well-maintained appearance, was an adventurer employed by the Count, so he had money to spend. Also, due to his relationship with the castle, he couldn't afford to look too shabby.

"Normal adventurers, when they get money, first spend it on drinks and food. If there's any left, they do maintenance on their weapons. Going to a bathhouse? No way, not at all..."

"Wait a moment. Isn't it the opposite? Shouldn't you invest money in weapons first instead of alcohol?"

"People with planning skills don't become adventurers." 

Ricardo said with a firm assertion, glancing at Kasim after making the statement.

...What's with this atmosphere? Lutz felt like he was the only one not getting it.

The thorough cleaning of dog Kasim was complete. Borrowing Lutz's clothes, Kasim was drying himself in front of the second-floor fireplace. After finishing their tasks, Lutz and Ricardo pulled up chairs and sat heavily.

"Well, occasionally taking a bath feels nice," 

Kasim spoke, oozing a pleasant sense of fatigue.

"It might be a hassle before you get in, but you never regret it once you're in," 

Lutz replied without moving his face. His eyes were fixed on the sword in front of him – the one Kasim had. Its tip was bent.

"Kasim-san, this is beyond repair. The only use now is probably melting it down to make nails."

"Huh? Can't you straighten it by banging it with a hammer?"

Kasim asked, not because he was attached to it, but because he didn't want to spend any extra money.

"Don't trust iron that has bent once. It'll snap at a crucial moment and cost you your life. Just buy a new one."

"Actually, I was using a skewer..."

Lutz had somewhat anticipated that. Even if adventurers were careless about personal hygiene, if they had money, it wouldn't have come to such a state.

"Well, I guess there's no other way..."

Leaving behind a muttered phrase whose count was unknown today, Lutz went downstairs and soon returned.

"It's an unnamed sword. I'll lend it to you."

"Wow, really? Thanks! Sorry about this!"

While saying apologies, Kasim eagerly grabbed the sword with bear-like eyes floating on his face. He had no intention of being reserved.

"I'm just lending it to you, make sure to return it when you buy a weapon!"

Having said that, Lutz couldn't help but recall the recent incident where he said he was only lending it, and in the end, it was left behind in the flames. It wasn't something he wanted to dwell on.

Ricardo observed the interaction between the two with a cool gaze. There was no way to return it; now, swords were the adventurers' dream. Even though it was an unnamed sword, adventurers without a penny to their name had little chance of getting a weapon crafted by Lutz himself.

"Now then, shall we get to the main topic?"

In response to Lutz's question, Kasim nodded. Although he had been set aside due to the sudden commotion, it wasn't like he came here specifically to borrow a tub for bathing.

"Earlier, you mentioned wanting to join in on the Monster extermination. Are you serious about it?"

"Yeah, I'm serious."

Kasim's response was not influenced by the atmosphere; this time, he answered clearly. Having taken a bath, received a sword, and refreshed both mentally and physically, he felt a bit more at ease.

"You didn't seem like you wanted to meet inside the labyrinth again. What changed in your mindset?"

"Is this an interview or something?"

"While I don't mind you coming along, I can't have you going back and forth, saying you're coming and then running away."

"Hmm..."

Kasim groaned in his throat. What would be the right answer? Saying, "I'm scared of hallucinations," sounded a bit embarrassing. As Kasim searched for words, Lutz, with a curious expression, asked,

"Seeking revenge for your comrades?"

"Hmm..."

Avenging his comrades and dispelling hallucinations might indeed go hand in hand, but Kasim felt it wasn't so simple.

"Pride, maybe?"

"What do you mean?"

"To regain the pride that was taken from me."

While not entirely wrong, it felt like it wasn't entirely right either. Worried that it might sound evasive, Kasim continued,

"Perhaps... it's about pride."

"What?"

"To reclaim the pride that was taken from me."

Although it might be correct, it seemed somewhat inadequate to summarize it as revenge. However, Lutz and Ricardo nodded with solemn expressions.

"Yeah, well..."

"If that's the case..."

With these words, they seemed to accept his explanation.

Even though he had said it himself, Kasim couldn't help but feel a slight sense of doubt and guilt about being easily accepted.

Regardless of the circumstances, he was allowed to join. Feeling relieved, Kasim suddenly remembered that he was at the peak of exhaustion and was attacked by drowsiness. Slowly, his body tilted diagonally.

"Hey, what's going on this time?"

Lutz rushed over to check Kasim's condition and then sighed, seemingly exasperated.

"...He's sleeping again."

Without bothering to cover him with a blanket, Kasim was left abandoned there. Lutz and Ricardo decided to have some beer. They couldn't keep up with any more of his eccentric behavior.

For the next few hours until dusk, Kasim slept without experiencing any nightmares. With Lutz and the others, he believed he could surely defeat the monster, be protected, and that thought brought peace to his heart.

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